Spending a Week in Olympic National Park: Cost Breakdown
How much does a week in Olympic National Park cost? The total cost can vary significantly based on various factors, including the number of excursions you plan, where you choose to stay, and your overall travel style. That said, this guide breaks down exactly how much we spent during 7-days in the park. Use this as a guide when budgeting and planning your own trip!
Olympic National Park Cost Overview
| Cost Per Person | Total Cost for 2 People | |
| Flights | $264 | $528 |
| Accommodation | $667.5 | $1335 |
| Transportation | $268.5 | $537 |
| Excursions/Activities | $302 | $604 |
| Food | $282 | $564 |
| Misc/Souvenirs | $38.5 | $77 |
| Total | $1822.5 | $3645 |
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Flights
Our flights from Atlanta to Seattle were $407 per person. However we used points we had to get the flights for $458 for both of us, making it $229 per person. Flight prices will vary depending on when you are visiting and your location.
We checked one bag total, which cost $35 each way.
Accommodation
We stayed in an Airbnb* in Port Angeles for 6 nights and paid around $165 per night, making the total for 6 days $992.35.
At the end of our trip we stayed in Seattle for a night to be closer to the airport and paid $343.32. This price is a little higher per night because we stayed in downtown Seattle and needed a place with parking. We intended to spend the day exploring Seattle, but if we did it again, I would just skip Seattle and book something cheaper, closer to the airport.
This brings our total for accommodation for 7 nights to $1335.67 or $667.83 per person.
* I linked the Airbnb we stayed in, however it looks like the prices have greatly increased since we visited.
Transportation
Included in transportation is the rental car, gas, tolls, and a ferry ride.
Rental Car
Since Olympic National Park is 2.5 hours from the airport, you’ll need a rental car to get around. We booked through Discover Cars to easily compare rates across multiple rental companies and paid $310.82 for the week.
Gas/Ferry/Tolls
For gas we paid $96.38, this includes driving from Seattle to Olympic, all around the National Park, and back to Seattle. Olympic National Park is very spread out so you can expect to do a good amount of driving in the park. We also found gas prices in the towns around the park to be a bit pricier.
Most rental car companies offer a flat rate per day for tolls, however we choose to pay them as needed since we were only passing through tolls twice. In total, we spent $20.06 on tolls.
Total Transportation Cost
Finally, on the way back to the city, we took the Bainbridge Island ferry into the city, and this cost us $22.25. If you don’t take the ferry, you’ll still have to pay tolls coming into Seattle, but it might save you a few dollars.
View of the city from the ferry
Excursions
How much you spend in this category depends on how many, or how few, excursion/ activities you choose to do. The only cost in this category that you have to spend is a National Park pass (unless you have the America the Beautiful pass). Hiking and swimming are free activities and are great ways to enjoy your time in the park!
National Park Pass
The standard park pass for 7 days is $30, which is what we bought. If you are going to be visiting other National Parks in the year, consider getting the America the Beautiful pass for $80.
Cape Flattery
Since Cape Flattery is only around 1.5 – 2 hours from Olympic, we decided to visit during our trip. Cape Flattery is the most northwest point of the contiguous United States and is located on the Makah Reservation. To visit this area, you’ll need to purchase a permit, which is $20 per car.
Whale Watching
Hundreds of whales migrate to the Strait of Juan de Fuca from May- October, making it a good area to go whale watching.
We did a half day Whale Watching Tour from Port Angeles that cost $320.62 total, including a blueberry crumble cake.
Soak on the Sound
After a long week of hiking, we splurged and went to Soak on the Sound in Port Townsend. They have salt-water soaking tubs that are supposed to help sore muscles. Rooms with just the soaking tub are $54 per person, however we opted for the room with a soaking tub and sauna, which cost $188.73 total.
Kayaking on Lake Crescent
Finally, we rented kayaks on Lake Crescent, which cost $43.16. This is the cost for a 4 hour rental (the minimum time) for a tandem kayak, however you can also rent for 8 hours for $60.
This brings the total for excursions to $603.51 or $301.755 per person. If you are looking to save money, this is definitely a good area to do so. The only thing you have to purchase is the National Park pass, but I definitely recommend visiting Cape Flattery if you have time, the $20 for the permit is worth it!
Food
We spent $94.73 on groceries, which covered breakfast, lunch, and a few snacks. We made breakfast at the Airbnb every day, except for one when we treated ourselves to brunch. For lunch, we kept it simple with sandwich ingredients, chips, granola bars, and a few Little Debbie snacks.
At restaurants, we spent a total of $440.99. This included dinner every night, plus the occasional ice cream, pastry, and coffee. Also included in this category is $28.11 that we spent on food in the airport.
This brings the total amount spent on food to $563.83, or $281.91 per person.
Misc/Souviners
Lastly we have any souvenirs or gifts you buy on your trip, which can add up pretty quickly. We bought a few miscellaneous items, totaling at $76.74 or $38.37 per person.
Total Cost for a Week in Olympic National Park
As with any trip, your expenses will depend on your travel style and personal preferences. We aim to travel as much as possible, so we prioritize saving where we can while still enjoying meaningful excursions and trying new restaurants in the area. For our trip, we spent a total of $3,645, which comes out to $1,822.50 per person.
